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South Australia, enhancing technology from farmgate to plate Agtech and foodtech.

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Page 1: Agtech and foodtech. South Australia, enhancing technology ...€¦ · ICC supports the life cycle from idea generation to growth and expansion. The ICC enables students and startups

South Australia, enhancing technology from farmgate to plate

Agtech and foodtech.

Page 2: Agtech and foodtech. South Australia, enhancing technology ...€¦ · ICC supports the life cycle from idea generation to growth and expansion. The ICC enables students and startups

South Australia is perfectly positioned to respond to the global upsurge of interest in food, agribusiness and food manufacturing.

Contents

1 Innovation for tomorrow’s food supply needs

2 The South Australian Ecosystem

4 South Australia’s agricultural and food innovation industry at a glance

5 Commercialising innovative ideas

8 The University of Adelaide

11 Flinders University

13 University of South Australia

16 Innovation precincts

18 Adelaide BioMed City

20 Proximity and access to primary production

22 Strong support for new ventures and business growth

24 Competitive business environment

28 How we work with you

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Innovation for tomorrow’s food supply needsThe world is facing unprecedented opportunities for applying innovative ideas to the agriculture and food industries. With population growth outpacing food production, we need to create new ways of producing more with less. Engineering, science, IT and digitalisation can play a pivotal role in realising this opportunity, and meet the needs of the agriculture, food and beverage sectors.

South Australia is cementing its place as an innovative hub for agriculture and food technology. Our state offers a nationally recognised entrepreneurial ecosystem, crucial to the success and sustainability of the agriculture and food technology industry. Premium raw materials and resources combine with great minds and an environment known for testing and producing quality start-ups with sophisticated products and services.

We have the ideal location for businesses looking for a strong agricultural and food base. With farms and production facilities as close as 20 minutes from the city centre, the proximity of all aspects of your value chain gives you unparalleled advantages.

South Australia is leading the way in many aspects of food and agricultural research and our close collaboration with industry ensures that advances are supported and commercialised. With three world class public universities and two international private universities undertaking leading research in agriculture and food technology, we produce high quality graduates with a high rate of transition to employment in the industry.

There are also lucrative funding opportunities through the South Australian Venture Capital Fund, Early Commercialisation Fund, and the Economic Investment Fund.

We have the talent and the ecosystem for you to grow from South Australia. This is an exciting opportunity to capture the big opportunities in the industry from one of the most liveable cities in the world.

It’s time to think boldly. Think South Australia.

Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology 1

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South Australia’s award-winning entrepreneurial ecosystem

20Incubators

31co-working

spaces

Formal and industry education from start-up to big business

Government supporting innovation and

commercialisation

Proximity to farms and companies in food,

agribusiness, wine and beverages

10start-up advisory services

Three world-leading universities growing innovation, new startups and an amazing resource pool3

2 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

Page 5: Agtech and foodtech. South Australia, enhancing technology ...€¦ · ICC supports the life cycle from idea generation to growth and expansion. The ICC enables students and startups

29networking,

community and start up events

World-leading organisations driving commercialisation:· Universities· Industry· Government

Supporting infrastructure

only CISCO Lighthouse city in Australia

Smart city – connected through a growing

Internet of Things (IoT)

Internet 100x faster than the

national average100x

in the list of the world’s most liveable citiesRA

NKE

D5th

Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology 3

Page 6: Agtech and foodtech. South Australia, enhancing technology ...€¦ · ICC supports the life cycle from idea generation to growth and expansion. The ICC enables students and startups

South Australia’s agricultural and food innovation industry at a glance

World leading universities and R&D

Proximity to a diverse range of raw materials, supply chains and food production companies

Enviable lifestyle & low cost of living

Low-cost, competitive business environment

Skilled and educated workforce – strong transition of students to workforce

State Government supporting innovation

National award winning entrepreneurial ecosystem

Access to 93,000 university students with a strong international mix

Largest concentration of agricultural research in the southern hemisphere

Culture of innovation – right ingredients for start-ups

Largest health and life sciences cluster in the southern hemisphere

Functional food

4 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

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Commercialising innovative ideas

South Australian Government TechInSA

TechInSA is the South Australian Government’s high tech, start-up agency supporting companies that are developing innovative products and technologies for global markets. The organisation offers start-ups and early stage companies customised programs including grants, business and marketing assistance, lab and office space, as well as access to global networks.

More than one-fifth of the companies that TechInSA is working with are developing the products and services of the future in agriculture, food and wine. Companies like Myriota who are developing Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity for application in agricultural operations; Safe Ag Systems who are bringing agricultural safe work practices into the digital age; and Vinnovate who are continuing the SA tradition of innovation in the wine industry.

The University of Adelaide ThincLab

ThincLab is the place where unconventional thinkers can give their ideas an unfair advantage.

It’s home to the creative thinkers, the rule-breakers, the challengers. The ones who see the world differently, and for whom ideas are everything and the future is unlimited.

ThincLab has three locations in Adelaide, Châlons, France and Singapore.

> 803 start-ups assisted since 1993

> 4,000 eChallenge accelerator alumni since 2001

> A$1.6M cash and prizes distributed to entrepreneurs since 2001

> 100+ mentors

> 100+ technology licensing partners

> 50 entrepreneurship students explored the world on study tours in 2016

> 21,000 enrolments across 200 countries for AdelaideX Entrepreneurial Opportunities since 2016

> 189,000 enrolments across 200 countries for AdelaideX Project Management since 2016

> A$3.5M+ Commercial Accelerator funding for University innovations since 2008

> A$400,000 Commercial Accelerator funding available in 2017

> Three start-ups borne from University research in 2016.

Adelaide Enterprise

By connecting clients and the community with the University’s internationally acclaimed researchers, the team at Adelaide Enterprise deliver University technologies to the market that create a positive impact on society and in turn bring benefits to the University, to support its research activities and ongoing innovation.

The University has contributed over A$3 million to promising early-stage technologies from their Commercial Accelerator Scheme, and has also leveraged millions more from venture capital and angel investors as well as commercially focused support programs provided by government.

South Australia offer a range of organisations and support services dedicated to helping companies and researchers take innovative ideas from the initial concept stage through to commercialisation and out into the market.

Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology 5

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Flinders UniversityNew Ventures Institute (NVI)

NVI is the centre for innovation and entrepreneurship at Flinders and the front door for businesses to all the University has to offer. NVI supports students and the broader community to create new businesses and to challenge business models. They also nurture entrepreneurs with an active innovation community, and add value to businesses with student driven, professional grade consulting.

NVI’s Venture Dorm powered by Mega aims to foster early start-ups and business model innovation, taking participants from idea to investment-pitch ready through a lean start-up approach. The Dorm facilitates networks and connections with a suite of events from inspiring entrepreneurs to connecting with researchers to international tours.

Flinders Partners

Flinders Partners brings valuable ideas, inventions and solutions out of the University and into the market, benefiting individuals, society and the economy and contributing to national advancement.

As the commercialisation arm of the University, Flinders Partners are an innovation catalyst, linking researchers, businesses and investors, to create value for all.

University of South AustraliaInnovation & Collaboration Centre (ICC)

Established in 2015, the ICC is a strategic partnership between the University of South Australia, the South Australian Government and DXC Technology. By leveraging world-class technology through DXC and UniSA’s expertise in business growth, creative thinking, commercialisation and technology, the ICC supports the life cycle from idea generation to growth and expansion.

The ICC enables students and startups to connect with industry, providing a space to test and validate their business models and ideas before taking them to market. The ICC also acts as a key focal point for industry engagement, providing a front door for industry to connect with the research and professional expertise of the University.

Australian Centre for Business Growth

The Australian Centre for Business Growth delivers world-class Growth Assessment Clinics and Business Growth Modules that enable CEOs/MDs and executives of small and medium-sized companies to learn how to build and lead companies that deliver sustained growth in revenue, profit, jobs, and exports.

The Centre’s core activities are delivered through the ICC which has hosted more than 600 CEOs, executives, world-renowned entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and members of the South Australian business community.

The ICC enables students and startups to connect with industry.

UniSA City West campus, home to the Innovation & Collaboration Centre and Australian Centre for Business Growth.

6 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

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UniSA Ventures

As the technology commercialisation arm of the University of South Australia, UniSA Ventures collaborates with researchers and industry to translate research outcomes into commercially viable products which have a positive social impact. Key services offered by UniSA Ventures include commercial assessment, intellectual property (IP) advice and protection, technology licensing, capital raising and spin-out company formation.

Some additional info on UniSA Ventures and their successes:

> Secured in excess of A$14m to fund commercially focused research and investment capital for the University’s portfolio;

> Achieved a four-fold increase in IP license agreements over five years;

> Launched two new spinout companies based on UniSA IP, including:

> Ferronova Pty Ltd, which secured investment from New Zealand-based Power House Ventures to commercialise a novel medical device developed by Prof. Benjamin Thierry from the Future Industries Institute.

> REZOLVE Scientific Pty Ltd, which has raised capital to commercialise a set of unique molecular probes to track sugar and lipid metabolism developed by Prof Doug Brooks from the Division of Health Sciences.

Adelaide - Australia’s Smart CityTen Gig City

Our capital city, Adelaide, is Australia’s first GigCity, offering businesses high-speed internet that’s up to 100-times the national average, and ultra-low latency. It makes Adelaide the most connected city in the southern hemisphere.

It’s a place where innovative ideas and solutions can be developed, tested and incubated. In August 2017, the network became connected and operational, establishing Adelaide as part of the international Gig City network. The network will provide affordable gigabit connections, with speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second also available. GigCity Adelaide opens the door to new collaborations and opportunities to develop high tech applications – from image processing and simulation, to big data analytics and cloud computing.

The network provides a growing, global interconnected optical fibre network, accessing data at phenomenal speeds and ultra-low latency, leading global business tools/services, applications, content and innovations through high-speed connectivity to global exchanges and cloud providers and services, avoiding the use of internet networks.

CISCO Lighthouse City

Adelaide is Australia’s only CISCO Lighthouse City and the first in the southern hemisphere, providing local businesses with access to the company’s huge global network. Adelaide joins a prestigious list of Lighthouse Cities that includes Barcelona, Chicago, Hamburg and Dubai.

As a Lighthouse City, Adelaide is a test bed for pilot programs in advanced Internet of Everything (IoE) and IoT solutions for the city’s infrastructure. We work in partnership with CISCO to enhance citizens’ experience of urban services and facilities, have access to CISCO’s abundant resources and global connections, and are committed to a progressive technology agenda.

The Smart City Studio, a partnership between CISCO and Adelaide City Council, was launched in late 2015. The Studio is an innovation lab for entrepreneurs, community and researchers – a place for people passionate about transforming ideas into applications, products, jobs and prosperity for the 21st century.

To find out more visit www.adelaidesmartcitystudio.com

Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology 7

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The University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide is driving the next wave of innovation for the food sector.

With an eminent 130-year history of research and teaching in food, wine and agriculture, today it supports 260 academic staff involved in food education and research across five faculties.

The University has:

> researchers working to innovate across the cycle of food production, processing and distribution

> researchers working in crop and animal production, including developing new varieties of healthy grains and pulses and new breeds of livestock

> economists performing economic and supply chain analysis

> engineers focusing on processing and production improvements

> health scientists working on improved nutrition and functional and healthier foods, and

> researchers in arts and social sciences looking at food appreciation, food labelling and the perception of genetically modified foods.

Academic staff work closely with food producers to ensure new innovations meet industry needs and are adopted for maximum impact.

The Waite Research Precinct has more than A$270 million worth of unique research infrastructure, more than 1,500 staff and students, and annual research expenditure of more than A$120 million. The Precinct is the largest concentration of agricultural research and education expertise in the southern hemisphere, and The University of Adelaide has a campus co-located onsite.

Researchers from the Plant Accelerator and the Australian Centre for Visual Technologies have been developing image-based plant analysis technologies that can automatically measure plant attributes to:

> predict plant health and performance

> better understand the way plants grow, particularly under stress, and

> ultimately help develop plants that provide better yield in poor environmental conditions.

Researchers at the Plant Genomics Centre use genomic sequencing technologies to identify genes involved in environmental and disease resilience and improved productivity. Once identified, plant breeders can use this knowledge to select the next generation of optimum wheat, barley and almond crop varieties.

The Australian Bioactive Compounds Centre is exploring opportunities for diversification in Australian food manufacturing offered by the flavours, colours and active ingredients of South Australia’s unique and endemic plant species.

The Australian Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology at the University’s Roseworthy Campus undertakes antimicrobial resistance surveillance of healthy livestock. It is working with local and international companies to develop new testing methodologies to:

> confirm the absence of antimicrobial resistance in livestock products

> produce new food-safe sanitisers to reduce contamination, and

> produce new animal only antimicrobial drugs and new animal management strategies that reduce reliance on traditional drugs.

In the top 1% of universities in the world.

8 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

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Researchers in the University’s School of Biological Sciences have developed a digital early warning system to be used with drone surveillance to provide rapid, low-cost mapping of microbial infections across large vineyards. This technology will aid in early detection of viruses to reduce the impact of lost yield to farmers. The technology has potential application to large-scale plantations across a range of crops.

Researchers in the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine are examining the role of soil ecological processes in supporting sustainable food production and land management. This includes work on the management of nutrients in the soil environment, management of the transition from conventional to organic agriculture in horticultural systems, and soil health in pasture, cropping and horticultural systems. Researchers are also developing new harvest technologies and are working with farmers to understand the best ways to encourage growers to adopt new technologies. Researchers are also working with Aboriginal communities

to conduct the first scientific study of plant extracts for sweetened or flavoured cordials and fermented products. This is being conducted with a view to recording these ancient practices through first-hand interviews and observation as well as defining the chemical and sensory attributes of the starting materials and end-products.

The School has full-scale wine making capabilities at the Waite campus and experts in sensory science, looking at what influences the taste and smell of wine and how preferences change across different countries.

The Australia-China Joint Research Centre of Grains for Health works with Australian companies to address the scientific challenge of developing healthy grains that combine desirable nutritional and sensory profiles into products that will be taken up by consumers. The centre is using cutting edge genomics and sensing technologies combined with nutritional procedures to produce cereal and grain pulses with increased nutritional value that will reduce disease burdens.

The Centre for Energy Technology is contributing to the transformation of the agricultural sector through the development of technologies to produce value-adding energy co-products. The work targets the development of solar gasification technologies that convert the residues from agricultural products to syngas or fuels that can be transported as liquids (biodiesel), or convert organic matter to a much more energy dense and stable ‘bio-coal’.

Researchers in the University’s School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering and the Environment Institute have expertise in rainfall and flood risk estimation, hydrological modelling, water resources planning and management, and climate change impact assessments. This expertise is being applied to develop landscape level irrigation and hydrological engineering plans.

With China showing a growing interest in Australian wine, researchers at the ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production are tailoring wine and its packaging for the China market.

Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology 9

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This research has resulted in a definition of wine compositions and bottle and label designs that are expected to appeal to a significant proportion of Chinese consumers buying wine for celebrations.

Recent work by the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls and Adelaide Glycomics has been harnessing natural biochemical processes to transform waste materials (from the agricultural sector) into new sources of nutrients, animal feeds, nutraceuticals, cosmetics and soil improvements in crop production. There is potential to exploit the macromolecular components of the ‘waste’ biomass arising from agriculture to generate new products higher in value, e.g., functional (intelligent) packaging materials, texturing agents for functional food, cosmetics, textiles, materials composites, bioactive surfaces and many more.

Researchers from the University’s Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences are working to develop robotic workstations for automated processing, machine learning and image analysis technologies for visual recognition and sorting, and new package materials (e.g. graphene) that extend the shelf life of fresh produce.

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics is building next-generation light-based measuring sensors to support the Australian agtech and foodtech industries from farmgate to plate. Light-based sensing technologies have distinct advantages over existing approaches owing to the properties of light. Specifically, BioPhotonics enables non-destructive, non-contact measurements to be made in real-time, and in remote and difficult to reach locations through the use of fibre optics.

The Advanced DNA Identification and Forensics Facility has developed a species identification and source of origin tracking method for plant species based on DNA markers. The method is being applied to a range of woody and fibrous products including herbs and spices. Our researchers are working on this research in collaboration with a Singapore based start-up company.

Adelaide Proteomics Centre is working with a local brewery to identify biomarkers that allow the age and condition of yeast batches to be quickly and cheaply monitored during the brewing process. This has made it possible to extend the use of a yeast batch, which can provide a significant saving for beverage producers.

The Centre for Global Food and Resources focuses on agribusiness education and research across economic, policy, agribusiness, environmental and social issues affecting global

food systems. The centre connects relevant partners ranging from industry organisations and enterprises to government institutions and policy makers across the globe. This improves translation and uptake of research.

The Food Values Research Group uses qualitative research methods to explore issues related to food ethics, such as animal welfare, free-range products, and genetic modification. By taking a sociocultural approach to food habits, the group provides critical and robust outputs with relevance for its partners, which include major and boutique retailers, state and federal government departments, and agricultural organisations.

The FOODplus Research Centre conducts both basic and applied research across a broad range of areas that link food, nutrition and sustainable agriculture to improve human health. They are committed to the conduct of high quality intervention studies to provide the best evidence to inform industry, policy makers and health professionals.

One of the focus areas of the Robotics Research Group is robotics in mining and agriculture. The group has capabilities in the development of air, land, and underwater autonomous vehicles (drones), control algorithms for the swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles, dynamics control of vertically hovering rockets, multi-rotor copters, robotic vision systems, and odour localisation using robots.

10 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

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For 50 years, Flinders University has been a centre of inspiring achievement – from pioneering research and excellence in teaching, to the positive impact the University has in the communities it serves.

The College of Science and Engineering solves real world issues through applied solutions in areas of biology, chemistry, environment, technology, engineering and mathematics. Fields covered are as diverse as groundwater hydrology, forensic science and medical devices.

Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics currently has over 90 staff and around 1,200 students and has recently moved into the new purpose-built A$120 million, 18,000 square metre pair of buildings at the University’s Tonsley campus. Areas of focus include computational/discrete mathematics, software engineering, internet networks, biomechanical devices, intelligent transport systems and signal and image processing. The research focus areas are in defence and national security, health and medicine, and the environment.

Flinders’ Centre for Maritime Engineering, Control, and Imaging (CMECI) is exploring how mechanical machines, sensors, electrical systems, and embedded computing platforms can together create autonomous maritime systems. CMECI has developed TopCat, an electrically powered autonomous surface vessel.

The Biological Sciences comprise biodiversity and ecology, marine biology and aquaculture and molecular biology and biotechnology. The Chemical and Physical Sciences is home to a cross disciplinary group of staff working on everything from fundamental theoretical and particle physics, to all branches of chemistry, to fundamental and applied work in nanotechnology.

In the top 2% of universities in the world.

Flinders University

Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology 11

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The Centre for Marine Bioproducts Development is the first facility and grouping of expertise of its kind in the southern hemisphere. The Centre is focused on the research and development, innovation, education and commercialisation of marine bioprocess technologies and bioproducts. It aims to become a focal point in Australia with these technologies and products for sustainable and profitable seafood and functional foods, marine bioproducts and biomaterials, biomedicine, and marine biofuels industries. The ‘Biorefinery’ system, a concept that Flinders University has been pioneering in Australia, has the following applications:

> analysing materials for functional components

> turning biomass and food waste into high value products cost effectively

> enhancing quality, efficacy of functional components

> enhancing food safety and removing contaminants

> novel bioactive compound discovery, and

> analysing the outcomes of bioremediation.

Industry sectors that the centre can service include:

> biofuels and biorefinery

> seafood processing

> aquaculture

> food processing and functional foods

> health food supplements / nutriceuticals

> cosmeceuticals

> water utilities

> nano-materials manufacturing and applications

> waste management, and

> environmental remediation.

The National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) is headquartered at Flinders University. NCGRT partners with 12 universities and more than 18 industry and government partners, and has formal linkages with some of the world’s leading groundwater research organisations. It brings together over 200 Australian and international researchers to pool their knowledge and expertise. The NCGRT fosters collaboration between scientists, government and industry to advance knowledge and management of Australia’s groundwater resources.

The NCGRT is currently involved in a A$2 million national groundwater partnership with Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) to examine groundwater research needs for the Murray-Darling Basin and the Plan. Other projects include groundwater flowage distributions: understanding open pit mine hydrology, and cross-cultural management of freshwater on resource-constrained islands.

The Nutritional Biology Group focuses on micronutrients in the food chain, anti-nutrients and promoter substances of iron and zinc absorption in staple food crops, the extraction of micronutrients from soils and load of micronutrients into food grains through cultivar differences, as well as the genetics and molecular biology of such traits, the role of micronutrients in disease resistance, product quality and sustainability of cropping systems. Nutrients of interest include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, selenium, boron as well as pro-vitamin A carotenoids, phytate, fructans and resistant starch.

The Centre for Climate Adaptation and Animal Behaviour is a cross-disciplinary research centre that focuses on measuring and identifying the adaptive capacity of organisms to climate in a changing environment.

The multi-disciplinary Centre for NanoScale Science and Technology undertakes research focused on four key areas – energy, water, security and health – by building on Flinders’ recognised strengths and enabling infrastructure in chemical analysis, chemical characterisation of surfaces, and surface topography and shape.

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences is at the heart of advanced learning in nutrition and dietetics as well as range of applied health sciences.

Flinders is also active in many different areas of driverless/autonomous vehicles with potential application to the agtech sector.

The Marine Applications team at Flinders Centre for Maritime Engineering, Control and Imaging is conducting research on autonomous surface vessels and underwater vehicles with research focus on: autonomous mission planning, situation awareness, navigation in GPS denied environments, autonomous docking of underwater vehicles and reactive path planning and obstacle avoidance. This research has beneficial application to aquaculture-tech based arenas.

The School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics has also developed ‘Husky’ autonomous vehicle with guidance in unstructured environments, which has land based applications in autonomous public transport and solar autonomous, with potential for application in agricultural settings as well. The integration of solar technology has particular relevance to remote and changing agricultural settings.

12 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

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The Sansom Institute for Health Research executes enterprising research that contributes practical solutions to address local, national and international health-related challenges across a number of concentrations. The Food Science and Health research group has excellent agtech capability, specifically in:

> food packaging and sanitation for extended shelf-life in meat, seafood and minimally processed foods such as salads

> microbial identification

> microbial shelf-life determination in foods

> food safety and quality, and

> food bioactive and functional foods in health and disease.

The group aims to improve the safety and quality of foods and food products for better health and wellbeing. The group is expanding their understanding of the role of foods in different diets and health. Their research interests includes developing functional food products in modulating disease biomarkers.

Some projects include:

> analysis of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) biomarkers in biological and food samples

> Improving safety of vegetables produce through on-farm sanitation, using electrolysed oxidising (EO) water

> efficacy of new sanitizer to reduce microbial load in minimally-processed vegetables, and

> a novel and safe fogging sanitizer for MRSA decolonization and reduction of actinobacillus pleuropneumonia aerosol transmission between pigs.

The group has a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen and sensory lab, a fully equipped microbiology lab, use molecular techniques for microbial identification and fluorescence and mass spectrometry for AGEs biomarkers.

The Natural and Built Environments Research Centre focuses on four major research strands: Natural and built environments education, environmental stewardship, smart and healthy communities, and water and natural resources. Its research and consulting services focus on real world problems, and challenges to industry and community.

A key aim of the Centre is resolving significant real world problems and challenges in achieving progressive and sustainable futures for industries, communities, ecosystems and environments, both nationally and internationally.

University of South Australia

No.1 young university in Australia for industry income.(2017 THE Top 200 Under 50)

Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology 13

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The Future Industries Institute focuses on building knowledge and capacity in core future industries and develops the internationally competitive research capacity of the University across four key areas:

> Mineral and resources engineering

> Energy and advanced manufacturing

> Environmental science and engineering

> Biomaterials engineering and nanomedicine.

The Institute is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment that provide access for early stage and existing businesses to vital capability and infrastructure.

In particular, the Environmental Science and Engineering strand draws upon expertise in biogeochemical processes to develop innovative solutions to the challenges facing agriculture and the environment. A key focus of this strand is on food security, remediation of contaminated sites, the control of antibiotic resistant microorganisms, risk assessment of emerging technologies and environmental policy support.

The Agricultural Machinery Research and Design Centre (AMRDC) comprises professionals in engineering, combined with practical farming and industry backgrounds. The team can assist in all stages of machinery development – from basic research and design through to the construction and evaluation of prototype equipment and commercial machinery. On-site specialised facilities are used to research and develop farming technologies to suit Australian conditions. Many engineering developments are now in production, in the field or installed in factories.

The CRC for Low Carbon Living UniSA Node has funded recent work into food waste carbon modelling. Food waste constitutes roughly half of municipal waste that is landfilled. Of all the strategies for diverting food waste from landfill, composting for food production achieves the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. The full project will trial and model GHG reductions of scalable, socially sustainable and economically viable ways of producing compost for local food production from precinct food waste and assess the appropriateness of composting systems for different urban precincts.

The Barbara Hardy Institute (BHI) whose patron is the well-known and widely respected Dr Barbara Hardy, champions her vision for the ‘widespread adoption of sustainable principles and environmentally correct practices’ by utilising multidisciplinary research approaches that challenge conventional thinking.

The BHI brings together world-leading scientists, engineers and social scientists to create integrated structural, technological and behavioural solutions for sustainably managed communities and natural environments.

The Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics brings together researchers in pure and applied mathematics to discover, understand and interpret natural phenomena and apply mathematics to important industrial and social problems. Its research themes include mathematical analysis, modelling of systems and processes, optimisation and optimal control, signal and image processing, scheduling and control for transportation systems and water management, financial mathematics and risk management. Examples of research currently undertaken include food waste carbon modelling, as well as rainfall trends.

14 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

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Institute for Telecommunications Research (ITR) is an internationally recognised research organisation, specialising in research, education, and technology development for wireless communications with fixed, mobile, satellite and terrestrial applications.

ITR conducts research in satellite communications, high speed data communications, flexible radios and networks, and computational and theoretical neuroscience. High speed and high quality data transfer is integral for future earth observation from space and is critical in dealing with changing environments and making best use of Australia’s natural resources. Myriota, South Australian start-up born out of advanced technologies developed at ITR, uses low orbiting satellites to achieve low cost global connectivity (refer to page 26).

The Phenomics and Bioinformatics Research Centre (PBRC) contributes to fundamental advances in botanical and agricultural science through the development and application of mathematical and statistical models, and of image analysis techniques, to understand and quantify plant growth, development and function. A particular focus of PBRC research, in collaboration with plant scientists, is on the quantitative characterisation of the physiological mechanisms that can improve the abiotic stress tolerance of cereals such as wheat and barley. Research in the PBRC is supported by the Government of South Australia, the Australian Research Council and the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

Carnegie Mellon University – Australian CampusThe American university is known for its disruptive approach to technology, with strengths in IT, IoT, digital transformation and business intelligence and data analytics. With its Australian home base in Adelaide, CMU received record levels of enrolments this year and is poised for growth after having its student cap lifted from 199 to 600.

#1 University for Information and Technology Management. (U.S. News & World Report 2016)

Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology 15

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Innovation precinctsThe Waite Research PrecinctLocated only seven kilometres from Adelaide’s city centre, the Waite Research Precinct is the largest concentration of agricultural research in the Southern Hemisphere. It underpins Australia’s agricultural industries with both fundamental and applied research, with strengths in grains, soil science and wine production.

The precinct is home to 12 research organisations, centres and nodes, and has 1,500 scientists, technicians, teachers, support staff and students. It contributes solutions to the emerging challenges of global food security and agricultural sustainability by stimulating and supporting international research on profitable and sustainable production in target sectors.

New varieties of barley, wheat, oats and pulses and grapevine rootstocks developed at the Waite have increased yields in the face of Australia’s harsh climate conditions and overcome potentially devastating pests, diseases, increasing drought and soil salinity.

Australian Centre for Plant Functional GenomicsAlso located at the Waite Research Precinct, the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG) is one of the largest cereal crop genomics facilities in the field of abiotic stress tolerance in cereals. With more than 80 research scientists and staff, the centre conducts research in innovative applications of plant genomics technology to develop improved agricultural products.

Scientists at the centre are improving cereal crops’ ability to grow in tough environments using the latest biotechnology leading to higher yields and more nutritious crops. This research involves both genetic modification (GM) and non-GM techniques.

The centre also works with commercial partners on specific plant genomics projects. Areas of focus involve processes associated with nutritional content, adaption to growing conditions, and stress-related damage. A major research interest of ACPFG’s structural biology research team is to unravel structural and functional relationships of plant proteins during normal plant development and during plant development under environmental stresses, with a focus on barley, wheat and rice.

16 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

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TonsleyTonsley is Australia’s first innovation district, bringing together industry and leading-edge research and training institutions together with start-ups, business incubators and accelerators in a high-value industry, research, education and residential precinct. Tonsley is located 10 kilometres from the Adelaide city centre – a short 20 minute drive or train ride.

Tonsley offers superior telecommunications infrastructure with internet speeds of up to 10 giga-bits per second at affordable costs, delivered through the Gig City Adelaide initiative.

The South Australian Government is leading the development of this innovation district, with support from the research and business sectors. Investment options also available include commercial/industrial investment as well as residential dwellings.

Siemens are a strategic partner in Tonsley and are operational on site. Flinders University’s School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics and vocational education provider TAFE SA are major partners in Tonsley and deliver undergraduate and post-graduate education, certificate training and research.

SARDI Plant Research CentreThe South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) provides services to the state government, commercial clients and research partners to increase the competitiveness and environmental sustainability of South Australia’s primary and allied industries. SARDI’s programs are designed to increase the productivity, sustainability and adaptability of the state’s agriculture, food and wine, fisheries and aquaculture and bioscience enterprises.

SARDI’s Plant Research Centre is a unique research complex offering impressive capabilities to support agricultural and bioscience innovation. The centre’s sophisticated facilities and capabilities support advanced research in crops and horticulture, pastures and sustainable resources and food safety and innovation. It also houses a Field Crop Improvement Centre which provides advanced capabilities in field crop research and evaluation including oat and vetch breeding programs.

SARDI leads the national pulse pre-breeding program funded by Pulse Breeding Australia and the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

The Plant AcceleratorAn initiative of the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility at the University of Adelaide, The Plant Accelerator offers professional consultation on plant phenomics and experimental design, backed by dedicated bioinformatics support with data management and analysis.

Digital imaging technologies, high capacity computing and robotics are combined at The Plant Accelerator to allow the automated, high throughput, non-destructive measurement of plant growth and function (phenomics). These resources are situated in a purpose-built facility, which also houses state-of-the-art greenhouses, growth rooms, laboratories and seed storage facilities.

The Plant Accelerator’s high-throughput phenotyping platform increases the speed and scale of plant physiological measurements, and helps address the phenotyping bottleneck that is restricting the flow-through of genomics advances into improvements in crop performance.

Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology 17

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Royal Adelaide Hospital

The A$3.6 billion Adelaide BioMed City is one of the largest health and life sciences clusters in the Southern Hemisphere. It brings together institutions for research education and clinical care, business development, incubation and has a strong commercialisation focus to attract new investment.

The South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) is an independent health and medical research institute housed in an iconic, purpose-built eponymous building, in South Australia’s health and biomedical precinct on North Terrace in Adelaide.

The partners are the University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, Flinders University, Government of South Australia, Australian Government, Cancer Council, CSIRO, and EMBL Australia. The stunning building co-locates hundreds of researchers from Adelaide’s three major universities.

Research themes include;

> Aboriginal health

> Cancer

> Mind and brain

> Heart health

> Infection and immunity

> Nutrition and metabolism

> Healthy mothers, babies and children

Adelaide BioMed City

18 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

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SAHMRI 2

SAHMRI

University of Adelaide

University of South Australia

CMAX

SAHMRI also houses a cyclotron producing radioisotopes and manages a world-class large animal research facility, available for preclinical testing. SAHMRI is designed to accommodate up to 675 researchers, providing nine fully flexible wet and dry laboratories to PC2 standards.

With additional investment in infrastructure SAHMRI 2 is set to become the site of Australia’s first proton therapy unit, the most precise form of cancer treatment. SAHMRI’s research themes include nutrition and metabolism, infection and immunity and social and mental health.

The University of South Australia’s Health Innovation Building will house the Centre for Cancer Biology, an alliance between the University and SA Pathology. The Centre has a specific focus on fundamental research that is relevant to many types of cancer, as well as the research of blood-related cancers, such as leukaemia and lymphoma.

The A$2.3 billion state of the art revitalised Royal Adelaide Hospital is completed, and the first patients have now been admitted. The hospital sits alongside SAHMRI and is one of the most advanced health centres in the world.

CMAX is one of Australia’s largest, longest running and most experienced, dedicated clinical trials units. The team specialises in a range of early-phase clinical trials, including first-time in human-studies, having conducted more than 100 to date. All studies are fully ICH GCP compliant and comply with the registration requirements of the US FDA, EMA, Japanese MHW and Canadian HBP and have been US FDA audited.

Adelaide’s BioMed City demonstrates South Australia’s commitment to excellence in health, and will ensure the future of knowledge-intensive industries in the state.

University of South Australia

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City Centre

R Roseworthy Campus University of Adelaide

South Australian health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI)

W Waite Campus

Wine Region

Food & Wine

Roseworthy to city centre 45mins

Roseworthy to Airport 55mins

Roseworthy Campus University of Adelaide

Barossa Valley Wine Region

W Adelaide Hills Wine Region

R

If your business interests can be applied to agriculture or food, wine and beverage production, then South Australia offers many rich opportunities for growth and competitive advantages unique to our state.

South Australia offers the highly-sophisticated infrastructure of a capital city, with farm land and production facilities only 20 minutes from the city centre.

Gross food and wine revenue reached record levels of A$18.64 billion in 2015-16, an increase of A$433 million on 2014-15. This increase was largely generated by the wine, livestock, horticulture and seafood industries 1. This sector accounts for half our total goods exports and employs one in five South Australians.

Considering that world demand for food is forecast to rise by 70% by 2050, these figures present an exciting opportunity for our future and investors keen for a slice of the action.

In 2015-16 finished food and wine retail and service sales grew by A$315 million, reaching a record level of A$10.68 billion, due to growth in the value of all industries2. This included significant increases in the wholesale value of processed meat and more moderate growth in fruit and vegetable processing and packing.

Total overseas exports of food and wine increased by A$6 million to reach A$5.22 billion, representing almost half of all goods exported from the state3. Food and wine grape production, measured in farm gate values, rose by $525 million, or 11% in 2014-15, due to solid growth in the value of livestock, grain and horticulture production 4.

The Government of South Australia supports the agriculture, food and wine industries and has nominated ‘Premium food and wine exported to the world’ as one of the state’s ten economic priorities.

Proximity and access to primary production

Adelaide AirportFP

Shipping Port

Universities Adelaide University University of South Australia Flinders University

Northern Adelaide food park FP

20 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

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All the elements you need for successful and profitable food processing are right here in South Australia. We have an innovative food processer community that you can partner with to put new ideas into practice within an industry willing to experiment with new technologies. We’ve also got abundant and high quality raw materials, manufacturing capability and skills, suitable land and sites, access to critical infrastructure and logistics, outstanding research, and a supportive government.

We are ideally located as a base for enterprises looking to sell into the growing markets of Asia. It all adds up to a food and agribusiness ecosystem that nurtures innovation, collaboration and profitability.

Some of the major food and beverage processing companies operating in South Australia include Pernod Ricard, Kirin Group Holdings, Mondelez International, JBS, Ingham’s and Cargill. Smaller, national and locally owned operations include Thomas Foods International, Beerenberg (gourmet foods), Bickford’s (beverages), the Clever Cooks and Banquet brands from Australian Wholefoods, Nippy’s (fruit juice) and gourmet produce from Barossa Valley celebrity cook, Maggie Beer.

In fact, South Australia’s food processing sector is a growing success story. The value of finished food products has risen steadily in the past 10 years to reach A$6.68 billion in 2015-16.

The stand-out growth has been in meat processing, with increases in the value of chicken, beef, sheep, lamb and pig meat.

South Australia has a strong culture of innovation and collaboration between industry and research in food and agribusiness, enabling new developments in science and technology to be efficiently applied and commercialised by industry. This includes the development of new techniques for food manufacturing and refinement of existing processes and materials.

Adelaide convenience food manufacturer Mexican Express has recently invested in a new packaging machine, one of only seven in the world, which allows the company to package dairy products in pouches without the use of preservatives. This enables the company to put new products on the market, like its instant Nachos to Go, aimed at convenience stores, vending machines and cinemas.

This product is shelf stable yet free of preservatives and gluten, making it an appealing choice for health-conscious consumers.

Our state’s advantages for food manufacturing are backed up by strong support for this sector from the state government, including regulatory reform to cut red tape, financial incentives, tax minimisation, investment to improve infrastructure such as transport corridors, and technical support from a range of agencies. In addition, both the state and federal government have a range of programs to promote and support innovation and the use of new technology in manufacturing industries, including food processing.

Staff from Investment Attraction South Australia can connect you to industry participants and provide guidance on the programs and range of support available.

Technology meets innovation for food processing of the future

Our state’s advantages for food manufacturing are backed up by strong support for this sector from the state government.

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Strong support for new ventures and business growth

The Government of South Australia has a range of funding schemes available to support enterprises which will have significant impact on the state’s economy, particularly in the creation of new and ongoing employment.

South Australian Early Commercialisation FundTechInSA’s South Australian Early Commercialisation Fund has been established to assist South Australia’s entrepreneurs and innovative organisations looking to commercialise novel products and services. The Fund will provide eligible companies and organisations with a maximum of A$500,000 + GST per project with matched funding required in most cases.

Food Park Business Attraction FundThe Northern Adelaide Food Park, South Australia’s premier food processing and food manufacturing precinct, aims to grow the food industry in South Australia and maximise the advantages of South Australia’s reputation for premium food and wine.

The South Australian Government recently launched a A$7 million Food Park Business Attraction Fund to provide assistance to businesses looking to locate to the Food Park.

Innovation Voucher ProgramThe Innovation Voucher Program provides vouchers of between A$10,000 and A$50,000 to help small and medium-sized enterprises collaborate with universities and private research companies to develop new manufacturing processes and products that drive productivity and business profitability.

Jobs Accelerator GrantIn addition, a Jobs Accelerator Grant is offered for any new employees hired between 15 July 2016 and 30 June 2018 by eligible businesses. Those based in South Australia with taxable payrolls of up to A$5 million may receive a grant of up to A$10,000 over two years for every extra full-time equivalent person employed. A$15,000 is also available under the program for new trainees or apprentices.

South Australian Venture Capital FundTo help build South Australian companies to a national and global scale, the Government of South Australia has committed to establish a A$50 million co-investment fund that will invest in dynamic and innovative start-up companies to accelerate their growth.

The South Australian Venture Capital Fund is managed by Blue Sky Venture Capital who will assess applications on a case-by-case basis.

22 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

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Economic Investment FundThe Economic Investment Fund (EIF) is complementary to our agency’s investment attraction support. The EIF may be available when investment projects deliver significant strategic and economic benefits for the state. All funding provided by Investment Attraction South Australia through the EIF is subject to compliance with applicable government processes and approvals.

Research and Development Tax IncentiveThe Research and Development Tax Incentive encourages companies to engage in R&D in Australia by providing a tax offset for eligible activities. It reimburses 43.5% of R&D costs in cash to eligible companies with an aggregated annual turnover of less than A$20 million.

A 38.5% tax offset is offered to all other eligible entities. Companies that have conducted research in Australia and are headquartered overseas, such as in the USA, have benefited from this scheme. Before commencing R&D activities, an Australian company with a local director must be established to be eligible, and a formal agreement with the parent company is required.

For further information please contact the team at Investment Attraction South Australia.

The Government of South Australia has a range of funding schemes available to support enterprises.

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A comparison of indicative ICT roles between South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.

Role South Australia Victoria New South Wales

Salaries in $’000 USD

DevOps Engineer 80 -120 90 - 120 80 -110

Network Administration 60 - 90 80 - 110 75 - 90

Network Engineer 70 - 100 90 - 120 90 - 120

Network Architect 100 - 140 120 - 170 120 - 160

Java Developer 50 - 80 50 – 90 55 – 80

Senor Java Developer 70 - 95 95 - 120 75 - 100

Mobile Apps Developer 55 - 80 80 -120 70 - 90

C/C++ Developer 50 - 80 50 - 95 70 - 80

Senior C/C++ Developer 70 - 80 95 - 120 90 - 120

Test Analyst 60 - 80 60 - 90 70 - 90

Senior Test Analyst 75 - 80 75 - 100 75 - 105

Automation Test analyst 65 - 90 80 - 120 75 - 110

Test/QA Manager 80 - 100 100 - 140 115 - 140

Bold numbers represent the most competitive salaries Sourced: Hays 2016 Salary Guide

Competitive business environment Adelaide was ranked the most cost competitive city in Australia, moving ahead of Melbourne, in KPMG’s 2016 biennial Competitive Alternatives Report.

South Australia offers a range of cost advantages that no other state in Australia can match, improving your company’s bottom line.

Private sector labour costs in South Australia are 10 per cent below the Australian average, making our state a great place to expand your workforce.

Adelaide offers a high standard of accommodation at the most competitive rates in Australia. This is in the context of world standard infrastructure and one of the best cities in the world for liveability.

There are numerous accommodation options available, ranging from central business district locations through to innovation districts such as Tonsley.

10% lower cost of employment than other capital cities in Australia.

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Source: CBRE June 2016

$404

$467

$539

$619

$641

$768

$930

$950

$997

$1,017

$1,020

$1,141

$1,313

$1,429

$1,472

$1,611

$1,727

$2,024

$2,823

$3,124

Prime office total occupancy cost ($US/M2 p.a.)

Adelaide, AustraliaAuckland, New Zealand

Melbourne, Australia

Brisbane, Australia

Perth, Australia

Jakarta, Indonesia

Seoul, South Korea

Washington DC, USA

Sydney, Australia

Singapore

Mumbai, India

Paris, France

Moscow, Russia

Shanghai, China

New York, USA

New Delhi, India

Tokyo, Japan

Beijing, China

London, UK

Hong Kong

$~ $500 $1,000 $1,500 $2,000 $2,500 $3,000

An enviable lifestyleEvery region in the world talks about its quality of life, but in South Australia we really have it!

Our capital city, Adelaide, is ranked the fifth most liveable city in the world and was the only Australian city to make The New York Times’ list of ‘52 places to go in 2015’.

Adelaide is a very liveable, modern city, surrounded by beautiful beaches, native bushland and world renowned wine regions. The city is synonymous with international events, including the Adelaide Festival of Arts, WOMAD and the Tour Down Under. The lifestyle is relaxed and cultured and our cost of living is very affordable in comparison to other major cities in Australia.

South Australia’s high quality of life and low cost of living combine to create high employee retention rates for businesses, providing business stability, continuity and bottom line benefits by minimising staff turnover and re-training costs.

Adelaide has the shortest work commute times and the lowest residential property prices of all Australian mainland capital cities (Australian Bureau of Statistics category number 6416.0).

Our state is also Australia’s premium food and wine destination, accounting for almost 80 per cent of Australian premium wine production. South Australia is known as the wine capital of Australia, with 15 wine regions showcasing unique and world class pours. Adelaide is also a member of the exclusive group of Great Wine Capitals of the World.

There’s fantastic food to match, with a focus on farm to table, seasonal premium produce and a melting pot of cooking styles from our country’s many global influences. We’re also the stage for many international festivals and sporting events, attracting global visitors and audiences.

Cost of office space/leasingAdelaide offers a high standard of accommodation at the most competitive rates in Australia. This is in the context of world standard infrastructure and one of the best cities in the world for liveability.

There are various accommodation options available ranging from central business district locations through to industry precincts such as Tonsley. Businesses also have the option to co-locate with defence partners.

We have an attractive location for yourcompany here in South Australia.

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S U C C E S S S T O R I E S

MyriotaAdelaide-based Myriota are a global leader in remote Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity to the agricultural technology (agtech) sector.

Myriota’s work solves one of the fundamental challenges facing the agtech sector-access to low cost, long battery life connectivity in remote areas for small amounts of data. The company has developed cutting edge technology to allow huge numbers of small, low-cost, long battery life transmitters to communicate with tiny low earth orbit satellites. It is Myriota’s ability to do this at ultra-low cost that has created a world-leading remote Internet of Things (IoT) communications platform.

Myriota is actively engaged with various agtech companies from across the globe and has current livestock water monitoring, irrigation monitoring, and weather monitoring deployments all over Australia.

The company also has several other applications currently under consideration including water flow metering, asset tracking, fence monitoring, soil moisture monitoring, livestock monitoring and pump monitoring and control. Myriota’s plug and play remote IoT platform provides the low cost connectivity required for a wide range of agricultural applications.

Business Development Executive with Myriota, Tom Rayner, said their satellite constellation provides world-wide coverage and the technology has applications across a variety of industries.

“We can participate in the vibrant agtech sector in South Australia and still be only one or two flights from every corner of the earth,” Tom said.

“South Australia is a great place to do business and to attract and retain world-class researchers and staff. The state also has significant natural resources and a strong agricultural sector which makes it a natural fit for an innovative company like Myriota.”

26 Investment Attraction South Australia | Agricultural and food technology

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A leader in sustainable horticulture for the arid world, growing high-value crops using seawater and sunlight.

Sundrop FarmsLocated near Port Augusta in the State’s Upper Spencer Gulf region, Sundrop Farms is a developer, owner, and operator of high tech greenhouse facilities that primarily rely on nature’s abundance of sunlight and saltwater to produce high-value crops.

Sundrop’s advanced technology allows it to produce food in non-traditional locations with little or no access to arable land, fresh water, or grid energy making it a flagship model for food business in South Australia.

An initial pilot was developed on 0.2 hectares of greenhouse to produce vegetables which has now been converted to a full horticulture facility across 20 hectares.

Managing Director John Phinney said that given growing global population and pressure on our planet’s finite resources, Sundrop’s innovative agribusiness model aims to benefit people, planet and profits.

“We have created a proprietary food production system which grows high-quality produce year-round in greenhouses that use the renewable resources of sunlight and seawater,” Mr Phinney said.

The Port Augusta facility is Sundrop’s first commercial site globally, producing more than 15,000 tonnes of tomatoes each year.

S U C C E S S S T O R I E S

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Investment Attraction South Australia is the peak agency for supporting investment into South Australia.

We are the people to speak to if you are:

> establishing a presence in South Australia or starting a new business on a scale that creates jobs

> seeking joint venture opportunities

> growing an existing business in South Australia

> investing in South Australian businesses for growth.

We are looking for smart, innovative businesses in areas where South Australia has comparative advantages. That’s why food and agribusiness is a key focus for us and we are here to help you make your investment in South Australia a success.

With our agency partners, Investment Attraction South Australia will work with you by:

> offering a dedicated point of contact for all your requirements

> assisting with site selection

> ensuring you have the best support to expedite your project in South Australia

> simplifying dealings with government and other business partners

> providing policy and regulatory guidance

> providing access to government decision makers

> helping you access skilled workers and specialised professionals

> linking you to new and relevant technologies, services, skills and processes.

How we work with you

If you’re interested in applying your creativity and knowledge to…

> Agricultural bioscience

> Data enabled agriculture

> Automation and robotics

> Supply chain and logistics

> Agricultural processing, or

> Alternative business models.

South Australia is the place for you.

We pride ourselves on our personalised approach and we want to understand your needs.

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DisclaimerInvestment Attraction South Australia and its employees do not warrant or make any representation regarding the use, or results of the use, of the information contained herein as regards to its correctness, accuracy, reliability and currency or otherwise. Investment Attraction South Australia and its employees expressly disclaim all liability or responsibility to any person using the information or advice.

This document is subject to change by Investment Attraction South Australia.

Published October 2017.

South Australia has all the right ingredients to develop a vibrant AgTech ecosystem. Farming is an intrinsic part of the state’s identity, with a potential user base of growers in horticulture, livestock, dairy, viticulture and broadacre farming, all within a 45-minute drive from the city centre. There are great graduates coming out of Adelaide's universities who are proactively looking at opportunities in AgTech, along with a relatively untapped pool of talent currently in the defence or automotive sectors, as well a wealth of existing agronomic knowledge and experience for start-ups to tap into. The community is also working from the ground up to further develop the AgTech eco-system here, by putting on AgTech Meetups that bring together farmers and developers, and we already have over 350 members that regularly come together to help get projects off the ground and support one another.

Oli Madgett (Co-Founder of Platfarm, and Adelaide AgTech Meetups)

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Let’s talkWe pride ourselves on our personalised approach and we want to understand your needs.

Please contact us to get started.

Nicolle SincockDirectorFood and AgribusinessE [email protected] M +61 418 215 838

Dr Vicki Mavrakis Business Development Manager Food and Agribusiness E [email protected] M +61 434 368 959

Zac McCrindle Business Development ManagerFood and Agribusiness E [email protected] M +61 466 412 473

Brad Karanicolou Business Development Manager Food and Agribusiness E [email protected] M +61 431 220 641

Tim IngramBusiness Development Manager Food and Agribusiness E [email protected] M +61 477 733 499

www.invest.sa.gov.au